Tire and rim assembly



Oct. 1, 1935. R. K. LEE

TIRE AND RIM ASSEMBLY Filed Oct; 12, 1951 I II/I71 INVENTOR. K LEEATTORNEYS,

Patented Oct. 1 1935 s E F CE r smirk s Roger lLLee, Highland Park.Mich.,'assignor tov Chrysler Corporation,-

ration of Delaware Detroit, Mich a com-- Application otober 12,fi93i,Serial 151;. 5ea4oo ,11 Claims. (cuss-1a);

This invention relates an impr ved combined V pneumatic tire and rigidThe main objects the invention are to pro-' vide a pneumatic tirehavingpermanently atj tached, relatively separable rim sections whichare securable to a wheel structure: toj'provide a rim section on each ofthe adjacent edge portions or the tire casing which has a flangeembedded" in, and rigidly bonded by vulcanizing to, the

walls of the casingfto provide rigid members of this kind that abut,each other near the parting line. of the inner peripheralfiwail of thecasing p. Y and which are conveniently securabletogether f and tothewheel structure; to provide means for tween the rim sections "when thelatter are )la n'ped together so as to permit inflation of the easingwithout necessitating the employment of "securing the rigid rim sectionstogether so as to prevent spreading apart of the jinnerperipheral wallof the casing at theparting line thereof and" to enable simultaneousattachment of the tire" to thewheel structure; and toprovide a simpleflange l.- In this manner, the rim sections are and inexpensive meansfor releasably clamping the sides of the split inner periphery of thetire casing together which eliminates the beaded i-formation. fin as -S.0! conventional n inner peripheralwall of a tire casing which arecompletely enveloped by a layer of rubber formed integral with the bodyof thecasing; and to provide an enveloping layer of rubber of this kindywhich'serves as a gasket for sealing the Jointbean inner tube ifdesired. ,7

An illustrative embodiment of the invention'is shown in the'accompanyingdraWin'g inwhich:

bodies thinventi n. f h H Fig.2 is aftransverse radial section taken onthe line 1 -2 of Fig. 1. i r v I I Fig. 3 is a transverse radial sectionof a tire taken. on theline33 of Fig. 1.

. Fig. 4 is a transverse section of a tire which M emobdies a modifiedform of the. invention.

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectionofa tire illustrat ing a furtherdevelopmentof the invention.

In the form shown-in Figs. 1;, 2 and 3, my improved tire includes anouter casing I which is mainlyformed of rubber and which has embeddedtherein cord reinforcing structure 2. The

casing I is substantially circularin cross section and it has acontinuous split 3 in its inner peripheral wall, on the respectivelyopposite ;sides of 5 which are fixed annular rim sections which arepreferably formed of rig'idrnetal. "'I'heirim sections-A have arcuateshaped flanges 5 on their respectively opposite sideswhich are" embeddedin the inner peripheral wall of the casing and permanently fixed,preferably by vulcanization,

to ftherubber constituent; of the wall structure; Theexternal portionsof the rim sections 4 are receivable on the felloe of a wheel structurer6 which is provided with a side flange 1. These external portions ofthe rim section are firmly clamped together by bolts ';8 which extendthrough registeringapertures in the "rim sections andlwhich are threadedinf apertures 9 of the side firmly clamped together and simultaneouslysecured'to the wheelstructure 6 by the same bolts. H The rim sections]may also be flrinly'clamped together independently of the bolts; whichare employed to securethe tire on the wheelso as to permit'an inflatedtire of this' character to be carried as aspare; This is accomplished asil- 7 lustrated in Fig. .3;--'by' providing bolts l0 between each pairof bolts-9 which fix the tire tothe wheel. The bolts ill have heads lldisposed in recesses l2 formed inthe faceof the rim section 4 whichabuts the side flange I of the rim structure.

A conventional innertube I3 having'a valve I4 is confined within the"casing": -The valve I4 is extended through apertures iri'the wallcasing of the structure and through a registeringaperture i V l5 inthearcuate flange'i'ofthe outermost rim Figil is'a sideelevation oftheupper half of a wheelwhich isequippedwith a tire that emp Intheformshown'in Fig. 4, 'the-outer casing 1' 0 "is substantiallyidenticalinconstruction to the s casing shown insFigs. 1-,2 and 3; butit has'a partsection lso as topermit convenient application of adischarge nipple of inflating'apparatus.

ing line It in its inner petipheral wall which is I woflset slightlyfromthecenter of the tire. The

rim sections! each. have an arcuategflange 5' embedded in theside of theinner; peripheral wall :ofthe caslngpnoppofii fl Sides of the.partingline thereof which are rigidly nxed by vulcanization to the wallstructure. These sections have adjacent faces which abut each othersubstanthe casing.

2 e, r v! 2,016,150

'tially at the center vor the width of the tire; A flap II formedintegral with the wall structure on one side 01 the parting line of thecasing extends over the abutting faces of therim sections 15 "havingarcuate flanges 'embedded'in the wall structure adjacent to the split.The rim sections 20 are completely enveloped withina layer of rubber 2|which is integral with the rubber constituent of the outer casing i9.The out- 20 wardly extending portions of the rim sections 20 haveregistering apertures through which bolts- 23 maybe extended for firmlyclamping them together and detachably securing :the tire to the 'wheelstructure 24. Bolts having their heads re- 25 ceived in recess in onerim section, as illustrated at III in Fig. 3, may also be employed forclamping the rim sections together independently of ithe bolts 23. f V vWhen the bolts 23 are tightened the portions 6 010! the rubber layers 2|which are disposed be-,

tween'the adjacent faceshof the rimssections serve as gaskets andare,placed-underrsufiicient compression to form a seal-which is capableof preventing the escapement of ,airirom ,the in terior-oi' the outercasing so that if; desired, the i' V V e g, ielloe and a radial flangeadJacenti'one edge I: inner tube may be dispensed with. When the .innertube'is not usedthe tire casingis provided with a valve '25 which has atubular casing that.

extends through openings in the wall of the tire 40 and through aregistering opening 26 in the arcuate vflange of the outermost rimsection 20.

,; .The valve casing may be screw threaded in the aperture 7 26 or -itmay merely extend therethrough "and be fixed by vulcanization to the 5rubberoi the side wall of the casingr", i

- 7 split single tube'tireoi .this' character may 3 be.convenientlyremoved irom the wheel of the vehicle and spread open so asto permit repair J ing of punctures, An inner tube, may if desired,

, be used'in a tire casing of the type shown in Eigyfi-andin this casethe seal provided by compression of the rubber layers between the rimsection effectivelyprevents theadmissionof dirt .7 t t t V, taryrimsection'vulcanized tothe lnnerperipheral wall on the other side oisaidsplit having a and other Ioreignparticlesfinto the interiorot With tiresoi V 'i'orms oi the; invention illustrated, the conven-,tionalpractice,of forming'b'eads for cooperating with a separable rimis eliminated. Tires oi this character can be .convenientlydemountedfrom a wheel and spread open for-permitting the 'removalandyreplacementloithe inner tube withc materiallyaless eifort than-isrequiredto pry;

--conventional tire casingsjrom' their separable .tirerims. Thecontinuousnon-metallic internal surface of the 'casing protects theinner tube from injlu'y avoids theintrodnctiontoi' par- 31510168 of'rustinto the tire.

' 7 Altho'ug h'but several specific embodiments oi y'ithis inventionhave h'erein' 'been shown and de-" scribed,it be understood that variouschanges inlthe size; shape and arrangement of parts may be made withoutdeparting'from the spirit of r5 my inventlon and it is not myiintentionto limit the construction; shown in all sections together, and an innertube in said 10 casing. V

2. In combination with a road wheel, a tire 1 and rim assembly includingan outer. casing having a split in its inner'peripheral wall, a pair ofsupporting rim sections each completelyembedded in and independentlyvulcanized to said casing one on each side of said split and providedwithladjacent external portions and means for clamping the externalportions 0! said rimsections togetherand to the outer periphery of saidwheel. I

3; A tlrecasing having a split in its inner peripheral wall. a'pair ofannular rigid metalsup-- porting rirn'members each having a flange,embedded in the structure or said casing on opposite sides of said splitrespectively, saidiianges' and the outeriperipheral surface of saidmetal l members being vulcanized to saldi casing,'meansrorjreleasablyfls curingjsaid members together,

anj i'nnertubeiin said outer casing removable through said split whensaid 'memb'ersare re- 'leasedjanda valve on said inner tube extendin'goutwardly irom said outer casing through an aperture in oneoijsaidilanges. a a

4: In combination'with a rcmd wheel having a thereof, a, toroidal tirecasing includingrubber "concentric, with vsaid iello'e b l a split inits (inner peripheral wall, a pair 01 supporting rim sections eachhaving a permanent, vulcanized 4 f bondjwith the rubber or said casing,one located on each/side oi said split and having adjacent externalportions'seatedjon the fence ofsaid wheel, and means releasably'securing'the exter-' 1 portions or said rim sections together and tothe radial flange of said wheel. I,

5; a tirefincluding an outer, toroidal flexible casing having acontinuoussplit inIi-S pe ripheral wama'suppbrnng rimsectlon V to .thein ner peripheral wall oi [said on 59 one side oi the split thereo!including an external portion having aside 'facej underlying a portionoisaid inner peripheral wall, a complemensi'de race extendi'ngin advanceof the adjacent'side oi said'split and engageable with 'thejj side raceof the'o ther rim section, and means'ior release 1 including externalportionshavfing abutting-side jia'ces and'oppositely extending flanges,an outer casing concentric with rim sections having wall'portions'enveloping andpermanently iixedtosaid flanges'and' having'anintegral intr al 651m flap extending over thejabutting races of said rim sections,and means for releasably securing the external portions of said sectionstogether.

7. In a tire, apair oi rinrsectionsin- 7o cluding external portionshaving'abuttinrside faces and oppositely extending flanges, an outercasing concentric with said rim sections having 1 wall portionsenveloping and permanently fixed to I V flanges and having an flap,"

extending over the abutting faces of said rim sections, a fabric elementembedded in said flap and means for releasably securing the externalportions of said rim sections together. i

8. A casing-air-tube consisting of a tire-casing divided on its innerside, and still non-elastic circular means forming portions of the wallthereof joined to said divided side and which means has only oneseparable joint to be sealed.

9. A casing-air-tube consisting of a tire-casing divided on its innerside, and stiff non-elastic circular means forming portions of the wallthereof partly joined to said divided side and which means has only oneseparable joint to be sealed.

10. A casing-air-tube consisting of a tire-casing divided on its innerside. and a two-part stiif non-elastic sealing-ring each part beingjoined at its outer side to its associated side of said tirecasing, toform the inner wall of said casing and a flange formed at the inner sideof each of the parts of the sealing-ring adapted to be brought togetherthrough their capacity to laterally react to mechanical pressure to sealsaid tirecasing.

11. As a new article of manufacture, a substantially circular air-tubethe inner-wall portion of which has a single annular division and isring-like in form and of a nature diflerent from the rest of the tube sothat the internal diameter of the tube will be substantially constant,the said inner wall being capable through its, own nature of constantreaction to a lateral force to close and seal said annular division.

12. As a new article of manufacture, an airtube having a stiffnon-elastic inner-wall portion continuous with the rest of the tube andhaving a single circular opening therethrough, the sealing of saidopening being eil'ected by the capacity of said inner-wall portion toreact directly to a lateral mechanical force, substantially withoutincreasing the internal diameter of the air-tube. 13. In combination, atire-casing, and a metal non-elastic sealing ring forming the inner wall5 thereof and having only one separable Joint to be sealed.

14. In combination, a tire-casing, and a twopart metal non-elasticsealing-ring forming the inner wall thereof, the opposing edges of said10 parts reacting to external mechanical pressure.

to co-act to form a sealed joint.

15. As a new article of manufacture, a casingair-tube a cross section ofwhich discloses resilient side walls and tread, and a metal plate-like1s spective of the air pressure within said casing.

17. A tirecasing of toroidal cross-section composed oi rubber and fabricand having an annular split in its inner peripheral wall, an inner tubewithin said casing, a pair of rigid metal rim members vulcanized to saidcasing, one on each side of the split in the inner peripheral wall, andmeans for releasably securing said metal mem- 1 bars together, saidcasing comprising a layer of rubber separating said inner tube.

rim members from said ROGER 1:. LEE.

